I had a flare up of an old root canal Feb 2000. The problem didn't show up on my x-ray and it was decided I might have a sinus infection. It was treated and went away. Came back and treated again and went away. Came back and sent to the Endodonist who found it was my tooth after all. It took 4 weeks to get retreatment due to his schedule. The retreatment went uneventfully, but as I was leaving the office he said that because it had been 4 weeks since the last flare, it would probably flare again. The next day I was in terrible pain and recalled the office. He said that the infection would find a way to release itself and that I should take Nsaids for pain. After another few days of this, I called back for help for pain relief. He again said that it would be better in another 10 days and to keep taking my Nsaids 2 every 4 hours with Tylenol in between. Again he told me that there was no need for antibiotics for this infection. After another few days without pain relief and the general feeling that my jaw would explode and no draining, I called his office again to this time beg for help. I was very concerned what this entire abscess was doing to my body; say nothing of so many days of pain. Again he would not give me antibiotics and told me to continue with the pain meds. After 2 and one half weeks the abscess started draining out the side of my gums and drained for almost 2 months after. At about the time the draining started, I began having terrible abdominal pain and diarrhea. Now it was been determined that I have colitis from all the Nsaids I was taking for the pain. I have been very miserable with this colitis these past 8 months. This is something I will have for the rest of my life. I am being told that was much too much Nsaids to take for that long. Now during a routine cleaning, it was found that the abscess is still there. So much for his theory that it would go away with or without antibiotics. Now my dentist wants to refer me back to the same Endondist to see what to do from here. She thinks he will need to do an apicoectomy and I am very upset about how he will treat me this time. AND now I am told by my GI Doctor that I can't take Nsaids again. I am also allergic to any codeine type drugs and Altram. If he needs to do an apicoectomy, how will I have any pain control? I feel that he should have been treating me the first time with antibiotics for the raging infection I had and I might not be in this situation now.

Just got back from the Endodonist. He says I need the surgery on the tooth. I asked about pain control and he said that I will have to rely on plain old Tylenol. I asked if that would be enough and he just said that it would have to be because there wasn't anything else to give me. I talked to him about what had happened to me with my health after last time. He acted like he didn't believe a word I was saying. He said that he had never heard of colon damage from Nsaids, only stomach trouble. I told him that I felt that this might have cleared up faster so I wouldn't have had to take so much Nsaids if I had been given an antibiotic, he said that would have made no difference. It wouldn't have speeded anything up. I told him that I had always been on antibiotics for the infections when I had my other root canals and had only required pain control for a few days. He said that they used to give antibiotics, but don't any longer. I asked what he would do if this flared up after the surgery, would he then give me antibiotics and he said no. He just kept looking at me as if I were the one with the thick skull! I didn't like his attitude at all. This is the only Endodonist in my part of the state of Wisconsin. His next available appointment to treat me isn't until the end of January. What I am reading about treating abcesses is just too different from what he is telling me. Of course, I will be calling my regular dentist in the morning. I just don't know what to do.

Another update before I post....I went back to my regular Dentist. She is sending me to an oral surgeon instead of the Endodist who did my retreatment. She also called in an Rx for antibiotics to try to get this infection under control. I will see the new dentist on Jan. 16th.

One question....

Is it really the new practice to NOT treat dental abscesses with antibiotics. I am not one to want to over due with them, but aren't they needed with abscesses like the Endodist told me?